This invention relates to a hierarchical relational definition system and a method of defining an object.
Literally, cost estimate engineering is the preparation of a cost estimate for an engineering project. A cost estimate typically comprises two components, direct costs and indirect costs.
Indirect costs include such things as site supervision, site engineers, plant and equipment hire, insurance and so forth. Whilst indirect costs are not negligible, in most engineering projects, direct costs constitute the bulk of the costs.
Direct costs consist of the materials used in the project and labour required to install the materials. Typically, the materials are organised as a bill of materials, which is a list of every material item required for the engineering project.
To produce a direct cost estimate, the labour required to install the materials in the bill of materials is estimated. Whilst information on materials for engineering projects exists, estimating the labour required to install a material has predominantly been based on the judgement of the cost estimate engineer. Thus, there has been a risk of inconsistencies in cost estimates, due to different judgements of cost estimate engineers in relation to the labour required for a particular material or the differing judgement of the same cost estimate engineer on a day to day basis.
Heretofore it has been unknown to have an integrated structured system with on-line databases to assist a cost estimate engineer in preparing multi-disciplined direct and indirect cost estimates at order of magnitude, budget and/or definitive level.
It is believed that such a system would have many advantages, including that it would provide a level of consistency in the labour estimates appearing in the direct cost estimates.
In accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided a hierarchical relational definition system for defining an object, comprising:
interface means that sequentially presents a plurality of menus from which selections are made, each selection forming an input parameter, said input parameters corresponding to an object;
indexing means which forms an index from at least one of the input parameters;
database means including fields in which data relating to said object is stored, one of the fields including control data;
referencing means arranged to reference the database means using the index to obtain therefrom the data relating to the object;
processing means responsive to said control data, said control data including instructions to control whether the processing means references a formula and calculates further data relating to said object; and
output means for creating an output corresponding to at least one of the input parameters and/or at least some of the data and the further data, if any, said output defining the object.
Preferably, each combination of input parameters represents a different object.
Preferably, only one selection is made from each menu.
Preferably, the index is formed from a plurality of the input parameters. In a preferred arrangement, the index is formed from the concatenated values of the plurality of input parameters.
Preferably, the hierarchical relational definition system includes a formulae database referenced by the processing means to obtain the formula.
Preferably, the hierarchical relational definition system is provided with a formulae adjustment database, in which adjustments to each formula in the formulae database are stored, said processing means also referencing said formulae adjustment database when calculating the further data.
Preferably, the hierarchical relational definition system is provided with a comparison means, responsive to the output and to actual data provided by a user corresponding to actual values of the further data, the comparison means altering the adjustment corresponding to the object in the formulae adjustment database to reduce any difference between the actual data and the further data.
In one arrangement, the processing means is also responsive to at least one of the input parameters and/or at least some of the data when calculating the further data.
In one arrangement, the database means and the formula adjustment database each comprise a table.
Preferably, the output means comprises table generation means which produces a table comprising at least one row, each row corresponding to an object and containing the input parameters and the further data.
Preferably, the control data includes information as to whether a user is to be asked to enter data relating to the object.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for defining an object, comprising the steps of:
sequentially presenting a plurality of menus from which selections are made;
forming an index from at least one of the selections;
referencing a database using the index to obtain therefrom data relating to the object, some of said data being control data;
determining from said control data whether to reference a formula to calculate further data relating to the object, and if so, referencing said formula and calculating said further data; and
presenting at least one of the selections and/or at least some of the date and the further data, if any, as an output, wherein the output defines the object.
Preferably, the index is formed from a plurality of the selections.
Preferably, the method includes the step of referencing a formulae adjustment database to obtain therefrom an adjustment for said formula, which is utilised in calculating the further date.
Preferably, the method includes the step of comparing the further data with an actual value provided by a user, and on the basis of the comparison altering the adjustment corresponding to the object to reduce the difference between the further data and the actual value.